Optimal Preamble Length And Detection Threshold

A network device for use on a wireless network, comprising:

• a network interface, comprising a preamble detection circuit for detecting a preamble;
• a processing unit;
• a memory device in communication with the processing unit, containing instructions, which when executed by the processing unit, allow the network device to:
• estimate a channel bit error rate of the wireless network;
• determine a detection threshold based on the estimated channel bit error rate;
• and
• store a value of the detection threshold in the preamble detection circuit;
• wherein the preamble detection circuit calculates a Hamming distance between an incoming preamble and a predetermined value of the preamble and detects an incoming frame whenever the Hamming distance is less than the detection threshold.

A method for improving detection of an incoming frame transmitted from a transmitter to a receiver on a wireless network, wherein the incoming frame comprises a preamble which is used by the receiver to detect the incoming frame, the method comprising:

• estimating a channel bit error rate of the wireless network;
• determining, at the transmitter, a desired length of the preamble based on the channel bit error rate;
• communicating the desired length of the preamble to the receiver;
• and
• transmitting a frame from the transmitter to the receiver using the desired length of the preamble.

A network device for use on a wireless network, comprising:

• a network interface, comprising a preamble generator;
• a processing unit;
• a memory device in communication with the processing unit, containing instructions, which when executed by the processing unit, allow the network device to:
• determine a desired length of a preamble for an outgoing frame based on a channel bit error rate of the wireless network;
• and
• store a value of the desired length in the preamble generator;
• wherein the network device transmits frames to a receiver having a preamble of the desired length using the network interface.